Norman Wins to Up June Total to $781,780

Greg Norman, runner-up at the U.S. Open a week ago, won the Greater Hartford Open on Sunday to complete a month in which he earned $781,780.

Norman, who has made a career of second-place finishes, used an eagle at No. 15 in a one-over-par 71 for a two-stroke victory that yielded a first prize of $216,000.

He started his lucrative June string by winning the Memorial ($306,000), then finished fourth in the Kemper Open ($52,780) and second at the U.S. Open ($207,000).

“Golf’s a wonderful game,” said Norman, who had injured his back at Hilton Head in April and took six weeks off before starting his lucrative month. “You never know what’s around the corner.”

Norman, who lost his lead to Fuzzy Zoeller at No. 13, finished at 13-under 267, setting a four-round course record by a stroke. Zoeller was bidding for his first title in nine years until a double-bogey at No. 17 at the Tournament Players Club at River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn.

In second place at 269 were Dave Stockton Jr. (68), Grant Waite (69) and Kirk Triplett (69). Zoeller (71) finished at 270.

Norman, runner-up at last year’s Greater Hartford Open, won his 14th PGA title and his second this year.

Most of the day was a showdown between Norman and Zoeller. Norman had two bogeys, a double bogey and two birdies; Zoeller had three birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey.

Norman’s chip from the rough at No. 15 for an eagle put him at 14-under and two strokes ahead of Zoeller, who bogeyed the hole when he missed an eight-foot putt.

“When it landed, I knew,” Norman said. “That was a special moment,”

Zoeller fell even further back when he hit the water at No. 17.

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Bob Murphy, despite a bogey on the 17th hole, won his third title this season, the Nationwide Seniors Championship, with a four-under 68 on a rainy day in Alpharetta, Ga.

Murphy finished with a 13-under 203 total on the hilly, 6,777-yard Lakeside Course at the Golf Club of Georgia, beating Hale Irwin and Bruce Summerhays by two shots.

Murphy’s bogey opened the door for Irwin, appearing in his second Senior event since turning 50 on June 3. Irwin, trying to reach the green on his second shot on the par-five 18th, hit into a pond on the edge of the green. He took a bogey to finish with a 70 and a 205 total.

“If I had known [Murphy] bogeyed [17], I’d have laid up,” Irwin said.

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Jo Jo Robertson, a sophomore at Oklahoma State, won her first USGA title when she defeated Elizabeth Drambour 2 and 1 in the final of the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship at Colts Neck, N.J. Robertson was two down after the front nine but birdied three of the next four holes.